Terminal and contact for snap-switches.



0. H. MAGHEN. TERMINAL ANDIOONTAOT FOR SNAP swnvonns. APPLICATION I'ILEDJALLBG, 1910.

1,025,634. Patented May 7, 1 12.

Hum I WITNESSES: NVENTOR mauaw /6MM W 4/ ATTORNEY.

' that the same may CHARLES H. MACHEN, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHELTEN ELECTRIC COMPANY, 01* PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TERMINAL AND CONTACT FOR SNAP-SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1912.

Application filed January 26, 1910. Serial No. 540,197;

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, CHARLES H. MACHEN, acitizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Terminals and Contacts for Snap-Switches, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in terminals and contacts for snapswitches, and it has for its object to provide a construction in whichthe terminal and the contact are integral.

As far as I am aware a contact and terminal have not heretofore beenmade integral, that is, from a single piece of metal. \Vhen theterminals and contacts are made of separate pieces riveted together itfre quently happens that the riveting connection is not perfect, makinga poor contact between the two which is, as is well known, veryobjectionable in electric circuits.

In the drawings I have illustrated a convenient embodiment of myinvention but it will be understood that the same may be embodied inother shapes and forms within the scope of the specification and claims.

The drawings illustrate my improved terminal and contact employed in apush button snap switch but it will be understood be employed in othercharacters of switches, such, for instance, as rotary snap switches.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a switchprovided with my improved integral terminal and brush; 'Fig. 2 is anisometric view of the terminal and brush shown at the left hand side ofFig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the brush. shown at the righthand side of the said figure.

Referring to the drawings :1 designates the insulating casing or supportfor the, parts of a snap switch which casing or support is preferably ofporcelain but may consist of any other suitable insulating material.Pivoted contact blades 2 are mounted upon a shaft or pivot at the centerof the casing and the said blades may be moved by means of the pushbuttons 3 so as to bring either of the said blades into contact with acontact 4. The contacts 4 are integral with the terminals 5 which aresecured by means of screws 6 to the casing 1. At one end each of thesaid terminals is provided with a lug 7 which cooperates with bindingscrews 8 for securing the ends of the electric conducting wires (notshown) to the terminals' In the construction of a terminal and contactembodying my invention, a blank is cut from a plate of suitable metalafter which the parts are turned into the positions as indicated in thedrawings; that is, the ends of the terminals are turned at an angle tothe fiat body portion of the terminal while the lugs 7 are turned atangles to the ends of the terminals to which they are secured. Thecontacts are given a half turn, in the construction shown, so that theyoccupy planes at right angles to and longitudinally of the planes of thebody portions of the terminals,the said contacts being connected to theterminals by neck portions as at 9.

By the integral construction shown, in which the contacts are integralwith the terminals, all riveting is avoided and thus all possibility ofimperfect electrical connection between the contacts and the bodies ofthe terminals is avoided.

As usual, a face plate 10 is secured to the casing 1 by means of whichthe switch is secured in place upon a wall or other structure.

Broadly considered, my invention 'comprebonds the construction of aterminal and the 85 contact connected thereto from an integral piece orsection of metal, and is not limited to thearrangement of the brush inany particular plane with respect to the body of the terminal.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. As an article ofmanufacture, a terminal for electric switches, which terminal is adaptedto be secured to any suitable support and the said terminal having acontact which is integrally connected thereto by means of a narrow neckportion, the said narrow neckportion being twisted as and for thepurpose described.

'2. As an article of'manufacture, a terminal and contact for electricswitches having integral connection with each other, the opposite endsof the said terminals extending at angles to the body portion thereofand being provided with screw threaded openings whereby one end of saidterminal may be secured to the casing or support of the ,7 switch andthe other one of which may be connection with the said end portion bymeans of a narrow neck portion, the said narrow neck portion beingtwisted as and 15 for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto'si ed my name this 25th day of January, A. 1910.

CHARLES H. MAOHEN.

In the presence of- G120. H. WEIDNER, CYRUS N. ANDERSON.

